Waiting Game
by Rae D. Magdon
Summary: After their first torrid encounter in Tevos's office, Aria is interested in hooking up again. Tevos, however, isn't making it easy for her.
**AN:** Before or after you read, _**please check out THIS GORGEOUS ART**_ by 2dshepard AND asariasami. 2d sketched and asariasami colored. Go follow those super talented ladies on tumblr immediately. They produce such great things. I LOVE THEM. raedmagdon dot tumblr dot com/post/140637715737/

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 _M10.05.86, Purgatory_

Aria glared at her omnitool, eyes narrowed in annoyance. Two days. It had been two days since Tevos had broken their hungry string of kisses to push her out the door, promising to call. Two days, and nothing. Not a single message, text or otherwise.

She sighed and reached for the bottle of rum beside her, unsure why the councilor's silence was so unsettling. Losing contact with her bedpartners had never bothered her before. In fact, she neglected to give most of them her personal number. Repeats weren't her style, and outside of the bedroom, she didn't like desperation. But Tevos's disengagement bothered her, and doubts were starting to worm their way into her head.

The next sip of rum burned as it ran down her throat, hitting her stomach hard. She wasn't used to being in this position. Few people dared to keep the Queen of Omega waiting, and she suspected Tevos was doing it deliberately. Worse still, it was working. Despite her worries about Omega and Petrovsky and the Reapers, Tevos kept intruding on her thoughts at the most inconvenient times. Almost all the time, if she was being honest.

 _It would help if she hadn't been so damn good with that poisoned tongue of hers._ Aria draped one arm over the couch, telling herself it was to create a more dramatic silhouette instead of to avoid the temptation of her omnitool's screen. _Maybe I should fuck politicians more often. The repressed ones seem to have something to prove._

But Tevos hadn't been repressed that afternoon in her office, or later that night in her apartment. She had been hungry and uninhibited, eager to give and take pleasure. Just the memory sent a shiver down Aria's spine, and she couldn't hold her casual pose. She crossed her legs the other way, sneaking a glance at her wrist as she moved. Still nothing.

Pride and desire warred within her, and after a brief internal battle, she gave in. As much as it galled her, she needed to make the first move in order to get what she wanted. She scrolled through her contacts, searching for Tevos's name as if she hadn't done the same thing at least ten times already that day. _It's not giving in,_ she told herself as she activated her camera. _I'm just reminding her that being coy won't get her fucked again any sooner._

Instead of directing the omnitool at her face, she aimed it at her shoulder, peeling aside the collar of her jacket to reveal a string of deep purple bruises along the column of her throat. It took a few tries to get a good angle and lighting she was satisfied with, but the results were worth it. The picture showed a fair amount of cleavage as well as the clean line of her chin. She sent the picture, along with a brief message: _'The marks you left haven't healed up yet.'_

Then, she waited. And waited. And waited. Several minutes passed without a response. Gradually, her supply of rum dwindled. She began to wish she'd ordered a second bottle. Finally, just when she was about to signal Grizz over and instruct him to bring something stronger, her wrist buzzed. She checked the screen, probably faster than she should have.

 _Thea Tevos_

 _09:24:33 CST_

 _'Have you tried medigel?'_

She stared at the words in disbelief, smiling open-mouthed only because she didn't know what other expression her face should take. Then she shook her head, lowering her hand back to the empty bottle at her side. "Well played, Tevos," she muttered, torn between laughing and squeezing the glass hard enough to shatter it. "You have my attention. Let's see what you do with it."

. . .

 _10.07.86, Skycar_

Aria stared out the window of her private skycar, watching traffic whisk by and willing herself _not_ to look at her omnitool. There was a message waiting for her on the display, but she already knew what it said. She had spent the last several minutes studying it, trying and failing to think of a good response.

 _Thea Tevos_

 _07:36:45_

 _'I'm busy.'_

"Busy," she muttered, fingers drumming agitatedly against the armrest. "Busy my ass." She would have known what to do with a straightforward no, but 'busy' was almost worse. 'Busy' could mean anything from 'Sorry, I'm at work' to 'Never in a million years'. Knowing Tevos, it was probably the first possibility, but that didn't do much to soothe her wounded pride.

She stared at her own see-through reflection in the glass, annoyed with her own annoyance. _Get a grip, Aria. The people you fuck are supposed to obsess over you, not the other way around._

But the harder she tried to force Tevos from her mind, the more firmly the councilor lodged there. She couldn't stop thinking about the night they had spent together, and the mental images made her pants feel constricting. Briefly, she considered asking the driver to return to Purgatory so she could find someone to fuck her frustrations into, but somehow, she knew it would be unsatisfying. Tevos—frustratingly indifferent Tevos—had her full attention, and no one else would do.

That meant she had to think of a reply.

She considered another picture, perhaps even a naked one to remind Tevos of what she was passing up, but dismissed the idea almost immediately. Sending someone a nude shot out of the blue was rude. Honestly, she was lucky Tevos hadn't warped her silly for the stunt with Liara's Shadow Broker feeds. Some politeness and restraint was in order this time.

After a moment's thought, she summoned her biotics, letting a small field dance between her fingers. She held two of them next to her smirking lips and used her other hand to take the shot. _That has to get her attention._ Once the picture was to her liking, she sent it, along with another message. _'Too busy for this?'_

She waited. And waited. And waited some more. Tevos didn't answer until the skycar had pulled to a stop and her bodyguards were escorting her up to the penthouse she was 'borrowing'. Aria managed to make it to the lift before she finally gave in and checked.

 _Thea Tevos_

 _07:47:24_

 _'Yes.'_

Below the single-word reply was a picture, and Aria scowled when she saw it. It was a shot of Tevos's terminal, and the screen was clearly visible. _'540 Unread Messages. Priority: Urgent.'_

It took most of Aria's willpower not to rip her omnitool off her wrist and smash it against the elevator wall. " _Fuck_ ," she spat, ignoring her guards' surprised looks. She could have handled an honest rejection. She could see why a politician might not want to get too deeply involved with someone like her, no matter how good the sex was. But this game Tevos was playing was driving her crazy.

Instead of replying, she switched her omnitool off, taking mental stock of what she had on hand in her private liquor cabinet. She was going to need a drink to get through this.

. . .

 _10.08.86, Purgatory_

Aria closed her eyes, letting the pounding pulse of the music wash over her. The throbbing heartbeat of the bass was usually relaxing, but tonight, she couldn't seem to let go of her tension. She told herself it was due to Purgatory's subpar music selection and had nothing to do with the fact that almost twenty hours had passed since Tevos's last message... not that she was counting.

She scanned the club so she wouldn't be tempted to glance at her wrist again, unsure whether she felt agitated or bored. Pursuing Tevos the first time had brought a glimmer of fun to her dull stay on the Citadel. Now that she'd had a taste, going back to her normal routine as a tourist was almost unbearable.

Desperate for a distraction, her eyes eventually landed on a willowy asari dancer a short distance away. The maiden's clinging uniform revealed more flesh than it hid, but for once, Aria had to will herself to maintain an interest. She hated to admit it, but the thought of Tevos in her high-collared, ankle-length dress was infinitely more appealing.

She watched the dancer sway for a while, hoping the fluid motions would change her mind. It didn't do any good. The longer she stared, the more her thoughts wandered. She kept flashing back to Tevos's office. The desk, the scorching kisses, the firm swell of Tevos's ass filling her hands. Their bodies had been a perfect fit, so perfect that she wasn't quite ready to give up.

Aria activated her omnitool and aimed the camera at the dancer's back. She recorded a few seconds of footage, focusing on the maiden's body instead of her head and face. Then she sent the vid to Tevos, along with a short text. _'Cute, right?'_

For once, she got a reply right away. Aria was delighted, until she actually read it.

 _Thea Tevos_

 _17:25:83_

 _'Only you would send a vid of a dancer to make me jealous.'_

Instead of getting angry, Aria sighed and shook her head, resisting the temptation to laugh. Tevos had a point. She was getting desperate, and her ploy to make Tevos jealous had been pretty heavy-handed. Still, as long as Tevos was talking to her, she was certain she had a chance.

 _'I meant the shoes. You have the legs for high heels.'_

She completely forgot about the dancer as she waited for Tevos to respond.

 _'Flats and low heels are more sensible.'_

Aria smirked.

 _'You made out with me in a cab. You aren't as sensible as you pretend to be.'_

Her wrist buzzed almost immediately.

 _'You aren't as good at flirting as you pretend to be.'_

That made her snort. _'You sent me a picture of your work terminal. There's playing hard to get, and then there's you. If I hadn't kept track of how many times you came around my fingers, I might be tempted to think you weren't interested.'_

A minute passed. Then two. Aria began to think she had gone a step too far. But before she really started to panic, Tevos messaged her back.

 _'I'm free for dinner tomorrow. Send me directions to your apartment.'_

A smile spread across Aria's face. She didn't even mind that Tevos had invited herself over, or that she had to wait another day. She was eager to make the cool and collected councilor melt beneath her hands again.

. . .

 _10.09.86, Presidium_

Aria inspected the apartment one last time, less than thrilled with what she saw. She had 'borrowed' her lodgings—free of charge, of course—as a 'favor' from a 'business associate'. Though it was fancy by Citadel standards, it couldn't compare to her place on Omega. The bedroom was lavish, and the kitchen expansive, but the furniture wasn't sleek or modern enough for her tastes, and the couch was nothing short of deplorable.

 _I don't know why anyone would waste their money on this,_ she thought, studying it with disgust. The crisp white color was daring in itself, suitable for someone like her, but the silver studs along its arms were an eyesore, and the material was scratchy and cheap. Just looking at it made her pull a sour face. She and Tevos would need to retire to the bedroom before too many clothes came off. She wouldn't be caught dead having sex on a couch like this, no matter how desperate she was.

And, sadly, her desperation was increasing by the moment. Tevos hadn't specified a time, and the damn _waiting_ had her on edge. She wasn't the type to check her Omnitool constantly or hover near the front door, but she found herself doing both as the minutes crawled by. Everything was ready. The apartment was neat and tidy, exactly the way she suspected Tevos preferred everything but sex. She had commandeered the best bottle of Thessian Red from her host's liquor cabinet, and it was currently chilling on the kitchen island. She had even whipped out her emery board to pass the time. But still, there was no sign of Tevos. The councilor hadn't even bothered to message her with an 'on my way'.

At last, impatience got the better of her. She grabbed her jacket before she could pace a hole through the floor and headed for the door. _That's it. If she's going to take her sweet time, it'll her own fault when I'm not here to meet her right away._ _I make people wait, not the other way around._

She stormed out of the apartment with a scowl, stepping into the private elevator. It was really what had sold her on this place to begin with, even though the décor wasn't ideal. The lift went straight from the penthouse to the building's main lobby, with no other stops on the way. The last thing Aria wanted to deal with was staining the elevator with blood if an assassin tried to go for her in close quarters—or worse, some sticky child smearing its hands over all the buttons.

Her ride down was almost as tedious as pacing around the apartment had been. The building's elevators were almost as slow as the ones that traveled to the Wards, and she had plenty of time to watch the numbers crawl by. _14... 13... 12... Tevos has to be doing this on purpose. 08... 07... If she was running late at work, she would have called, right? 05... 04... 03... How the fuck does she manage to drive me crazy without doing anything at all?_

Finally, the elevator came to a stop. Aria stepped into the lobby, hands bunched and shoulders knotted with tension. The doorman for the regular elevator hurried to avoid her, and several other residents shot nervous glances in her direction before scurrying to safety. Normally, Aria would have been amused, but she barely noticed the small panic her very appearance had caused. Instead, all her focus was drawn to the striking figure striding in through the doorway.

Tevos entered the building as if she owned it. Her dress, though professional, clung to every curve, and the vertical striped pattern across the front drew emphasis to the cut-out diamond above her cleavage. It was the most daring outfit Aria had ever seen her wear, and it took an effort of will to merely admire instead of outright staring. Steady clicks directed her attention downward, and her forehead tattoo rose in surprise. _Guess you decided to follow my suggestion after all. Those heels are two inches higher than anything else I've seen you wear._

The heels stopped a yard away, and one toe cocked to the side until Aria dragged her eyes back up. "I haven't even hit the buzzer yet," Tevos drawled, resting one hand on the flare of her hip. "Isn't waiting downstairs for your date a little... overeager?"

"Actually, you caught me on my way out," Aria said, trying to convince herself it wasn't a lie. Thankfully, everyone else has fled. They were alone in the lobby, and there were no witnesses to her embarrassment. _No one except for her._ "I was planning to wait for you, though. I never gave you the number of the apartment I'm staying in."

"Did you need to? You're in the penthouse, aren't you?"

"Did that cute little assistant of yours look that up for you? Or was it intuition?"

"Cute little assistant?" Tevos shook her head, but her smile twitched. "You don't need to keep trying to make me jealous, Aria. I showed up... against my better judgment."

The barb amused her rather than wounding her pride. "You might have questionable judgment, but I would argue that you also have excellent taste."

Tevos folded her arms beneath her breasts, rolling her perfectly manicured nails above her elbow in the slightest sign of impatience. "In clothes, footwear, or lovers?"

Aria took a step closer, invading Tevos's personal space. "Would you accuse me of flattery if I said all three?"

Tevos's green eyes narrowed. "I think you're only flattering yourself."

"And I think you're trying to provoke me." She leaned in, and a shudder rolled through her body when she caught the scent of Tevos's perfume. Just the right amount, enough to catch her attention without being overpowering. "You know your sarcasm turns me on."

"Always happy to indulge your strange fetishes." Tevos brushed past her, leaving less than an inch of space between their bodies. "Well? Are you coming?"

Aria stood aside, letting Tevos enter first and watching the deliberate sway of her hips. _Shit. This is what I get for screwing a politician. She's got a fucking comeback for everything._ It didn't help matters that Tevos moved like a dancer, dressed like a model, and carried herself like royalty. "Don't worry about me. I'll come, as long as that lovely mouth of yours stays clever."

The click of Tevos's heels stopped inside the elevator. "You wouldn't have kept my omnitool number if it wasn't."

That did it. Aria stepped through the doors, letting them whoosh shut behind her. As soon as they closed, she seized Tevos's wrists, backing her into the elevator wall. She waited a beat, holding Tevos's eyes until both their faces burned and she was certain the councilor had no objections. None came. There wasn't a hint of doubt on Tevos's face, so Aria went for the kill, crashing their mouths together.

Tevos's lips were just as addictive as she remembered, sweet and sticky and hungry for hers. Tasting them was decadent, but she was too wound up to savor them. Instead, she devoured them, taking a risk and using a little more tongue and teeth than usual. Tevos didn't mind. Aria felt her shiver and knew the rough treatment had met with approval. Unfortunately, the same shiver passed through her body as well. _Fuck. I don't even like kissing. But her..._

Pulling away to breathe was agony. Aria would have drowned in Tevos's mouth if she could. The string of kisses only broke when Tevos seized the collar of her jacket, holding her an inch away and forcing her to stop. "You're going to ruin my lipgloss," she purred, although her voice had too much honey to be truly annoyed. It left Aria panting.

"Get over it. The best liner in the galaxy won't make it stay." She trapped Tevos's lower lip between her teeth to prove her point, swiping her tongue over it until she earned a whimper. The sound encouraged her, and she let her hands roam along Tevos's sides, drinking in her curves. She could feel the outline of Tevos's body clearly through the tight dress, but the fabric in her way was a frustration. _Damn. This is going to be a bitch to get off._

"Don't you dare," Tevos muttered into her mouth. "I swear, if you rip my dress again..."

Aria was prepared to ignore the warning, and even summoned her biotics for a satisfying tear, but Tevos distracted her at the last moment. One of the councilor's hands slid between their bodies, traveling down her stomach to tug at the tab of her zipper. The slight shift of leather over her azure had her pulsing against the seam of her pants. A growl rumbled in her throat, followed by the slow sound of the zipper's teeth parting.

"You're going to pay for this eventually," she promised, kissing toward the soft heartbeat beneath Tevos's jaw. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it isn't nice to tease?"

"I said I'd come over." Tevos's wandering hand squeezed into her pants, applying enough pressure through the soaked fabric of her underwear to make her buck. "I never promised to be nice."

This wasn't how Aria had planned for the evening to go, but she didn't care. If Tevos wanted to get her off first, right here and now, she was willing to go along with it. Her clit strained beneath its hood, and her inner walls throbbed with want. _A quick orgasm to take the edge off before I fuck her is probably a good idea. My pants are a lost cause anyway—_

"—Shit," she hissed as Tevos pulled her underwear to the side. Clever fingers zeroed in on her clit, and she sagged, bracing her forearms against the wall. "You don't waste time, do you?"

Tevos hot breath tickled Aria's neckfolds as she laughed. "First I'm a tease, then I'm too direct." She rolled her fingertips slow and hard, and Aria fought to keep from trembling. "You need to make up your mind. What do you want?"

 _"Just keep going_ ," Aria moaned, making her way back up to Tevos's mouth. She didn't know why, but she couldn't stay away. She wanted—no, _needed_ another taste. She pushed her tongue past Tevos's puffy, kiss-swollen lips, determined to take back at least a little of the control she had lost.

It didn't do much good. Tevos's fingers sped up, but the petting turned feather-light. When they started to buzz with the slightest trace of biotic energy, Aria nearly came. She would have fallen over the edge if Tevos had gone just a little harder. Her head began to tingle, and her lashes fluttered as her dark pupils threatened to overtake her eyes.

The soft 'ping' of the elevator didn't register until Tevos's hand slid out of her pants. The vibrations disappeared, and Aria groaned in confusion and discomfort. Her whole world had been about to drop between her legs, but Tevos's touch had vanished completely, leaving her a single stroke away from a shattering release. "Wh—what?" she stammered, but it made no difference. Tevos had already left the cage of her arms, making sure their bodies brushed during the escape.

"We're here," Tevos told her, as if it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy. "You didn't expect us to embrace eternity in the elevator, did you?"

The pounding between Aria's legs didn't stop, or even lessen, but a twinge of annoyance cut through her haze of arousal. "There's being a tease," she rasped, "and then there's sadism. I think you just crossed the line." Still, she was impressed despite herself. Tevos had managed to string out this sexual encounter for almost four days already, and the councilor showed no signs of relenting any time soon. Aria wasn't sure her body could handle it. Her legs were already shaking beneath her, and her thighs were a sticky mess.

Tevos exited the lift, but Aria caught a glimpse of her purple tongue peeking out to taste her dripping fingers. There was a soft pop, almost like the sound of a kiss, before Tevos answered her, still facing away. "Maybe I'm just curious? Curious to see how far I can push you..."

Aria hurried to catch up. She crossed the short distance between them in two quick strides, plastering herself against Tevos's back. The swell of Tevos's ass fit perfectly in the cradle of her pelvis, and she inhaled another snatch of perfume as her lips grazed the back of Tevos's neck. There were no objections when her greedy palms wandered around Tevos's hips, gliding up along her stomach.

"Curious, huh?" she murmured. She explored further, teasing the underside of Tevos's breasts before groping them in her hands. "Then why did you make me wait so long?" She outlined the cut-out diamond above Tevos's cleavage with her fingertips, using the same feathery touch Tevos had tortured her with earlier.

Tevos shook a little, but her response was as cool as ever. "I needed to keep you a little curious, too."

Aria dragged her mouth along the side of Tevos's neck, starting a fresh trail as she considered the best way to deal with the dress. It was too long for her to reach a hand under. That left finding the fastenings, or ignoring Tevos's earlier request and ripping it off. Before she could make up her mind, Tevos turned in her embrace, trapping the loose button of her unfastened pants and using it to tug her forward. "Come on," she whispered, an inch away. "We can do better than the hallway."

Aria started to protest, but Tevos didn't give her time. The councilor pulled her toward the apartment, and she had to hurry to keep up. _Fuck, how can she walk backwards so fast without tripping? And in heels? I need to pin her somewhere and fuck her before she gets too full of herself._ The closed front door offered a glimmer of hope. Aria tried to trap her against it, but Tevos read her mind. She managed to open it one-handed and yank her through instead.

Once they were inside, Aria lost all restraint. She seized Tevos's hips in her hands, steering her straight toward the ugly couch in the middle of the living room. She had thought nothing could make her break her vow to avoid it, but her standards were slipping faster than her pants. By the time they reached the couch, Tevos had peeled them half way to her knees. She moved to take them off, but the pause proved to be a mistake. Tevos placed a hand straight in the middle of her chest, shoving her forcefully into a sitting position.

That got Aria's attention. She hadn't expected Tevos, of all people, to be so physically demanding. She wasn't strong, but it hardly mattered. The look on her face convinced Aria that she would be better off staying where she was. "Boots," Tevos ordered, gazing pointedly down at her feet.

Aria's eyes widened, but she decided to play along. She removed her jacket first—a minor but irresistable act of rebellion—before unzipping her boots and kicking them aside. Her pants and underwear followed, but Tevos made no move to undress along with her. She seemed content to observe, although Aria noticed with some pride that a purple flush was growing beneath her stark white tattoos.

She decided to make a show out of removing her corset. The buckles and straps were complicated, but she had practiced undoing them enough to make it look easy. Tevos's eyes zeroed in on her breasts as soon as she freed them, although Aria managed to drag the councilor's attention to her biceps when she placed her hands behind her head. "Well?" she asked, casually letting her legs fall open. Judging by the dark swirl in Tevos's green eyes, the view was appreciated. "You seemed to have plans for me. Do I get to find out what they are?"

For once, Tevos didn't bother with a smart comeback. The councilor straddled her, bracing both hands on her shoulders and crashing their lips together. Aria was expecting something enthusiastic, perhaps even messy, but instead, Tevos gave her a kiss that could only be described as masterful. It left her gasping instead of the other way around, and she was right back where she had started—dazed and desperately trying to keep up.

When Tevos's mouth moved past her jawline and down to her throat, Aria realized she was in worse trouble than she'd thought. The lower Tevos's hot tongue traveled, the harder her heart hammered and the worse her clit throbbed. Tevos's fingers hadn't returned there since leaving the elevator, but every kiss and nip and suck sent a jolt straight to the straining ridge anyway. Soon, the upper half of her body was covered in slight bruises and pouting lip-prints that she _knew_ were intentional.

"I thought you were trying to save your makeup?" Aria panted, but Tevos ignored her. Sharp teeth sank into the side of her breast, and the bite made her hips buck. Shuddering trails of warmth slid through the folds of her azure as Tevos trapped the point of her nipple and sucked, circling around and around without actually touching the tip. Her hands shot to the back of Tevos's crest, trying to push the attention lower, but instead, it vanished completely.

"Don't."

Aria blinked in shock. 'Don't' was the last word she had expected to fall from Tevos's pretty lips. "What?" she laughed, not quite believing what she was hearing.

"Don't. Move." Tevos looked up at her, and Aria could see that she was completely serious. "I want to taste you, but if you can't hold still and be patient, I swear on Athame's altar, I'll walk right out that door."

"You wouldn't," she growled, but part of her knew that Tevos _absolutely would._ The councilor had already strung her along for days. Aria was certain Tevos would have no qualms about leaving her high and dry if she didn't get what she wanted.

Coming from anyone else, the request would have ruined the evening. Even far from Omega, Aria had no shortage of opportunities for sex—especially sex where she got to be in charge.. But none of those opportunities could hold a candle to Tevos. Compared with her, the countless dancers and bartenders and mercenaries she had bedded were dreadfully boring. So even though she wanted nothing more than to flip Tevos over, ruck up that perfectly tailored dress and fuck her senseless, Aria swallowed a little more of her pride. She didn't have it in her to say please, but she gave a brief nod and removed her hands.

Tevos took that as permission to continue. And continue. And continue. Aria wasn't sure how long Tevos spent exploring her breasts, her stomach, the outlines of her abdominal muscles and the grooves between each rib, but it was _much_ longer than she typically liked foreplay to last. Several times, her fingers flexed restlessly on top of the cushions, and she had to stop herself from reaching out. But either Tevos didn't notice her impatience, or Tevos didn't care. The torment continued until Aria was covered in a light sheen of sweat and she was certain she had left a considerable stain on the cushion beneath her.

When Tevos's full lips skimmed one of her hipbones for what felt like the hundredth time, Aria couldn't stand it anymore. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, and the hum in the back of her head was almost a roar. Her whole body shook with it, and her vision started to blur as the need for more pounded in her head and between her legs. If Tevos's mouth wasn't on her and their minds weren't linked in another second, she was half-convinced she'd die. She let go of the couch and shoved her fingers between the gaps in Tevos's crest, gripping hard and forcing the blissful heat lower.

Her triumph hardly lasted a moment. Tevos jerked back without so much as a kiss goodbye, rising from her kneeling position in one graceful, fluid motion and making a beeline for the door. With swiftly growing horror, Aria realized that Tevos was still fully dressed. There was nothing to stop her from walking out and taking the lift back downstairs, just like she had threatened. She waited a few more precious seconds, but Tevos didn't hesitate. Her hand reached for the pressure pad without a single look back.

"Wait!"

Tevos dropped her arm. She turned slowly, as if she'd known this would happen all along. "Yes?"

Aria despised the expectant, condescending look on Tevos's face, but it made her squirm with desire as well. The ache inside her wasn't going to satisfy itself. _She's played her game well. I'm willing to let her win, as long as she doesn't leave._ "Please," she said, forcing the word out on a breathless exhale.

Tevos remained where she was, continuing to wait.

 _Fuck. Fuck her and her stupid beautiful face and that conceited fucking look and those damn fucking heels._

"Please. Don't go."

Tevos turned the rest of the way toward her, folding her arms and shifting her weight to one hip. The material of her dress highlighted even more of her curves. "Are you going to listen this time?"

"Yes." _For now._

One second passed. Then two. Finally, after a painfully long pause, Tevos prowled back toward the couch.

Aria sighed with relief. She hadn't even realized she was holding her breath until Tevos made her decision. To her surprise, the councilor didn't bother teasing. Obviously satisfied that she had command of the situation, Tevos dropped to her knees. Aria savored the sight, but her complacency didn't last. Tevos ducked beneath her calves, blazing a trail straight up along her inner thigh and demanding her full attention.

This time, Aria didn't dare reach for her head. She clawed at the couch instead, trying to find a different grip. _This is fine,_ she told herself, tapping into the shallow pool of patience she had left. _I can hold out. As long as she starts using her tongue, I don't need to—_

The first swipe of Tevos's tongue almost sent her spiraling into a meld. If she'd been a few centuries younger, she might have lost control altogether. No one had ever stripped her defenses away so thoroughly, and she groaned as a tight seal of warmth wrapped around her clit. She would have come right away—she _wanted_ to come—but without a mind to link with, she couldn't find release. As galling as it was, she needed to wait for permission. If she tried to initiate without asking, Tevos would surely block her out. Instead, she hissed curses behind her clenched teeth, enduring the awful pleasure.

If Tevos noticed the swearing, she didn't seem to mind. The councilor's hands folded around her hips, holding them firmly in place. The seal of her lips turned to steady sucking, then light flicks that spread further and further out. Aria's vision began to swim, although she couldn't tear her eyes away. Somehow, Tevos's gorgeous face was even more beautiful buried between her legs.

When Tevos's tongue left her ridge to tease the ring of muscle at her entrance, Aria's profanity ended with a strangled cry. She couldn't form words any longer. She could barely stay inside her own head thanks to the hot, shallow thrusts inside her. Need _throbbed_ in her skull, fighting to get out, and Tevos's mind called to hers like a beacon. She wanted nothing more than to latch on, to drink from the well of sweetness so tantalizingly within reach.

Somehow, Tevos sensed her intentions before they were fully formed. Her mouth pulled away, and Aria let out a broken sob of disappointment. She couldn't remember making such a sound before in her long life, but it was far too late to stifle it. Any illusions she had fought to maintain had long since been shattered. Knowing she would regret it, she gazed down into Tevos's eyes, burning with bitter lust when she saw a smug gleam there.

Tevos only said two words, but they gutted her completely. "Ask nicely."

" _Please_ ," she said for the third time that night, swearing over and over again to herself that Tevos would pay dearly for it later. "Meld with me. I need to come."

For one terrifying moment, Aria feared Tevos would continue to let her suffer. She had no patience left, and she wasn't entirely sure what would happen if the councilor denied her again. But then, _finally_ , she heard the words she was waiting for, felt them move against her aching clit. "Embrace eternity." The warm edges of Tevos's mind bled over into hers, and the lines between them blurred until all Aria knew was _we_.

Even though they had melded before, falling headfirst into Tevos's thoughts was more overwhelming than she had expected. They blazed with lust, just like her own, but they were also solid and self-assured, while hers were scattered and shaky. She hated being so disoriented, even by an orgasm, and she latched on to Tevos with everything she had, trying to find the stability she had lost as her inner walls shivered.

She half-expected laughter for spiraling so wildly and clinging so desperately, but Tevos was surprisingly sympathetic. _It's all right. You made me fall apart last time._ Images of Tevos writhing on top of her desk, arching and panting as her eyes welled with ebony, rippled between them. _I'm just trying to return the favor... and keep you interested._

 _You're going to make me come,_ Aria warned. Normally, she would have demanded, but she didn't have it in her. Just forming thoughts while Tevos's lips rested against her was near impossible.

 _Good. I want you to come._

The wave of raw passion that followed those words was enough to push Aria over the edge. She cried out, both in the meld and outside of it, losing control as Tevos's tongue lashed over the tip of her ridge. Her hips jerked, and her hands shot out, reaching for Tevos's crest before she remembered herself. It wasn't an effort to seize control again, simply instinct. She needed something to hold while she came undone.

Aria was too far gone to form another 'please', but she sent Tevos an image through her eyes, hoping it would be enough.

 _Go ahead._ Tevos sucked her deeper, keeping up steady pressure. _Come. I'll even let you hold me._

Aria melted with relief. She clutched the back of Tevos's head, trembling as her release continued washing over her. Tevos's tongue seemed to be everywhere at once, swirling over her clit, darting down to her entrance, pushing inside... She watched in awe as a rush of heat spilled from inside of her, coating the lower half of Tevos's face. _Fuck. That sexy lip stripe. Your chin covered in my come..._

Tevos pushed further, gathering as much of the flood as she could. _I don't mind. My makeup's ruined already._ She began shifting, tensing as if she couldn't get comfortable, and Aria groaned at the thought that Tevos was sharing her pleasure. Whatever the councilor was wearing under her dress, it had to be ruined by now.

Promising herself she would find out what it was later, she kept rocking against Tevos's mouth, riding her peak until she was utterly spent. Despite her exhaustion, the aftershocks were almost powerful enough to be orgasms of their own. It wasn't until Tevos finally pulled away, smugger than ever, licking her gleaming tattooed lips just as Aria had envisioned, that she steadied her breathing enough to respond. _You... are going... to pay for every second of that..._

Tevos gave her an amused look. She spoke aloud, even though the threads of the meld still lingered. "You're threatening me over an orgasm? That's not very nice."

"Not a threat," Aria growled. "And I never promised to be nice. You don't _want_ me to be nice." She summoned her returning strength, surging off the couch and pinning Tevos flat against the floor.

"What are you—" Tevos started to ask, but Aria silenced her with a kiss.

 _Shut up._ She summoned her biotics, shredding Tevos's stylish dress without a trace of regret. It had more than overstayed its welcome. _I've been in your head._ It fluttered apart in two pieces, revealing Tevos's body at last. _I know what you want. S_ he raked her nails up along Tevos's legs, yanking them open to reveal the bare, glistening lips of her azure. _And you didn't wear any underwear. You did all of this—playing coy, teasing me—just to get fucked._

Tevos didn't deny it. She lifted her hips in invitation, and Aria took what was being offered, thrusting two of her fingers inside without any preparation. Tevos gasped, and a delighted smile crossed her face as her head tipped back. Aria was torn between relishing her newfound power and watching her hand as it started to thrust. Tevos's entrance was almost impossibly tight around her knuckles, but she was slick and dripping with wetness. The mess ran everywhere, into her palm and down her wrist to smear over both their thighs as she positioned herself on top of the councilor's quivering body.

 _Oh, Aria,_ _yes_ _._ Tevos hooked a knee around her waist, and Aria felt the spike of a heel dig into the back of her thigh. It wasn't comfortable, but she didn't care. She used her other arm to clutch Tevos's knee even closer to her side. _Yes, more—_

Aria couldn't resist the opportunity. It was just too perfect. She leaned down, breathing hot beside Tevos's cheek and hovering near her lips. "Ask nicely."

Tevos didn't hesitate the way she had before. She was already fully prepared to surrender. _"Please!"_

Aria could have been cruel, but she was far too hungry for Tevos's screams. There would be plenty of time later to draw things out and get a proper revenge. First, she wanted to make Tevos come, to drive the councilor as crazy as she had felt all evening. It wouldn't make up for what she'd been forced to endure, but it would be a start. She hooked her fingers forward, finding the swollen spot that made Tevos fly over the edge. _Do it. Come for me._

Tevos's peak hit so fast that Aria wasn't prepared for it. The faint meld they had sustained on their way down to the floor swelled, enveloping both of them until they were one being. This time, Aria finally had the delight of feeling Tevos yield to her. The councilor's inner walls fluttered, clenching hard and pushing out her release in pulsing rivers. Aria sped up her thrusts, ignoring the way her own body quaked with the shared contractions. Tevos's submission was intoxicating, and knowing how hard she'd worked for it only made it sweeter.

 _Come on,_ she thought, using her hips for leverage and fucking forward with everything she had. _I know you've got more. Give me everything._

A sharp wail ripped from Tevos's throat, and her entire body seemed to snap as the waves swelled again. The sharp heel dug harder into her ass, and this time, Aria couldn't help being swept away too. She ground into the back of her own hand, struggling to keep curling into the spot that was driving Tevos crazy. Tevos's bliss was hers, and she didn't want to let a single moment escape.

They came until they were both a shuddering tangle of limbs, soaked with sweat and come. Their skin stuck together in several places, but Aria didn't care. She could sense through the meld that the woman beneath her was thoroughly and completely satisfied, and since she had ended the first round on top, she figured that meant she had won.

 _Won? This isn't a competition,_ Tevos thought, stroking between her shoulder blades. Aria flinched as her fingertips traced painful scratches. She hadn't even realized Tevos had clawed her back.

 _I fucked the asari councilor and made her come all over my living room floor. I think most people would consider that a win._

Tevos laughed. _I'm surprised you didn't pull me up onto the couch with you instead._

Aria gave a low, rumbling growl, capturing Tevos's pouting lips in another kiss. The gloss was long gone, but tasting herself on Tevos's lips was a hundred times better. _Fuck the couch. I hate it anyway. And I'm not finished with you yet, either._

 _Is this because I took so long to call you?_

She sank her teeth into Tevos's bottom lip, swiping her tongue along the stripe much as Tevos had done to her earlier. _Yes. So if you want me to keep fucking you stupid, maybe next time don't wait so long._

. . .

 _10.10.86, Purgatory_

"...contacted Shepard like you asked, and she's agreed to meet with you. I'm arranging a shuttle for tomorrow afternoon."

Aria gave Grizz a nod of approval. "Good," she said, allowing a small smirk to tug at the corners of her mouth. "Make sure my people are mobilized. Shepard doesn't like to waste time, and neither do I." She was already in a good mood, and the news that she would soon have the opportunity to make Petrovsky pay for everything he had done only boosted her spirits. _Maybe I'll be generous and kill him quickly. After all, he is the reason I've been having such great sex lately._

"What about her crew?" Grizz asked, the flange in his voice wavering. "You know Shepard always brings her squad with her. Should I tell her to leave them behind?"

Aria toyed with the idea of asking him to extend an invitation to Liara, but eventually decided against it. Tevos had depleted her limited supply of patience already, even if it had been in the most enjoyable way possible. "You read my mind. If she tries to bring her girlfriend or anyone else with a tragic hero complex along for the ride, tell her to get rid of them."

Grizz started to acknowledge the order, but before he could speak, a short buzz from her omnitool interrupted the conversation. Aria held up one hand, gesturing for him to wait as she checked her wrist. Her eyes scanned the message on the screen, and gradually, her smirk became a lean, predatory grin.

 _Thea Tevos_

 _13:03:69 CST_

 _'Pick me up from work at 14:00. I'll buy dinner.'_

After tapping out a reply, she lowered her arm and returned her attention to Grizz. "You're dismissed. In fact, dismiss everyone for the rest of the evening."

Grizz's mandibles quivered, but he knew better than to question her. He stood ramrod straight—a relic of his time in Palaven's military—and did an about-face. Aria watched him go, not really paying attention. One more night with Tevos would provide her with the perfect opportunity to burn off some of her stress before she made the jump back to the Terminus System. _And once I've taken care of things on my station, I can finally show her what it's like to fuck on a decent couch._


End file.
